Electric switch



- 1\10 Modem J. 0. HEINZE, Jr.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented June 4 In van 65 r.

UNITE STATES ATENT FFlQE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,358, dated June 4,1895. Application filed December 4, 1894:- Serial No. 530,795. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom; it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN O. Hnmzn, Jr., of Lynn, county of Essex, andState of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inElectric Switches; and I hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electricswitches, and consists of certain novel features, arrangements andcombinations hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a vertical section taken ontheline so 90 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the knives andcertain other parts in section. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of theknives. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the copper contact-pieces.Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing the contact-pieces secured inplace. Fig. 6 is an end detail view, partly in section, showing one ofthe boxes in which one of the knives is secured, with the shaft brokenoffon each side. Fig. 7 is a detail View in section, show- 7 ing one ofthe boxes with shafts cast therewith on each side.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

A represents an electric switch base of the usual construction, and ofinsulating quality,

and upon it are secured the standards B on opposite sides and at one endof the same, and secured to the switch base A by suitable screws B. Thecontact pieces 0 are secured to said base by suitable screws Opassinginto the base of said contact pieces. The base 0 of each is providedwith suitable recesses 0 into which the thin copper contact pieces orsprings G are located, and these contact pieces at their lower ends areprovided with recesses or slots 0 to fit part way around the shank ofthe screw G which when screwed up tightly into the base C compresses themetal and holds or clasps said copper contact pieces 0 firmlyin place,and when said copper contact pieces (3 are burned or otherwise injuredthey can be removed by loosening the said screw 0 and new piecesinserted and secured in place by tightening up the said screw.

0 represents suitable binding screws to which the electric wires may beconnected.

The said-base is secured to the wall or other convenient place bysuitable screws or bolts passing through the openings D, which extendthrough said base.

Journaled in the standards B is the shaft E, which on each side extendsto the rectangular-shape box E, and is secured fast to the side thereof,and to the inner side of. each of the said boxes there is firmly securedthe central portion of the shaft E, so that the said shaft is composedof three portions-the center portion and the two end portions, and beingfirmly secured to said boxes E when the said shaft revolves the saidboxes must also revolve, being secured thereto and forming a partthereof, or the same may be formed of one entire casting. (See Fig. '7.)

The knives F which pass in between the copper contact pieces C and closethe circuit are secured in the boxes E, as shown, and insulatedtherefrom by suitable non-conducting or insulating material E asunburned p01- celain, mica or fiber, and held firmly in place by the topE which is firmly attached to said boxes E by the screws E and in thismanner the said knives on each side of the base are firmly secured insaid boxes E, and when the shaft and boxes revolve the knives mustnecessarily move therewith. These knives are made of copper punchings orcastings independen tly of' the boxes E or actuating lever by which saidboxes are moved, and are held in place, as above described, so that whena knife is burned or otherwise injured it can be removed and a new knifeinserted in its place, without interfering with any other part of theelectric switch.

Around the central portion of the shaft E there is a sleeve G looselymounted thereon, and secured to said sleeve is a handle G. In the underside of said sleeve and in the center thereof there is a space or slotG2 in which the pin H, secured fast to the shaftE is adapted to move, aswill be explained. Under said pin and contacting therewith is a curvedspring J secured to said switch base by screws J, and having a seat J inwhich the end of the pin H is adapted to rest when the knives F are downbetween the contact pieces 0 and the circuit closed.

The burning of the copper contact springs and the knives is caused by anare forming in the air space between the under side of the knife and thesaid copper contact pieces or springs as the knife leaves said pieces,so that any means which would give the are formed as short a time toexist as possible would necessarily reduce the burning out or injury ofthe copper contact pieces and knives. There fore I have providedmechanism for causing said knives, as soon as they leave the contactpieces C to be thrown up quickly away from said contact pieces andthereby break the arc.

In the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 the knives are betweensaid contact pieces and closing a circuit, and when it is desired to cutoti. the circuit the operator catching hold of the handle G moves it ina direction as indicated in dotted lines, so that the knife F movesupwardly. WVhen the movement of the handle G, to which the sleeve G isfast, has brought the pin H, by the sleeve G forcing the same from outof its seat J on to the top thereof, as shown in dotted lines, the saidspring immediately acts on said pin and throws it to the upper side ofthe recess G of the sleeve G, and in this position the spring continuesits upward tension, and the pin being fast to the shaft E causes arevolution of said shaft, and with it the boxes E, and with said boxesthe knives F, which are secured thereto, and at the same time the pin Hbearing against the sleeve G forces thchandle G,

connected to said sleeve, backward to its fari of the pin H is out ofits seat J and on top of the spring J, as shown in dotted lines, inposition to receive the upward throw of said spring when the knife is inthe position shown in dotted lines, so that a quick throw is given bysaid spring through the connecting parts to said knives, and theexistence of the are between the under side of said knife and thecontact pieces is of short duration, and consequently the burning of themetal of the knives and copper contact pieces by reason of said are isreduced to a minimum.

While I have shown the arrangement as embodied in a double poleswitch,it is understood, of course, that it is applicable to single,triple or other pole switches.

From the above description it will be seen that the two main points ofmy invention consist in providing the independent knives, which can beeasily secured in place without interfering with the rest of the switch,and in providing means for giving a quick throw to said knives as theyleave the said copper contact pieces. These and other features of myinvention are carried out byan apparatus constructed like that shown inthe drawings, but it is obvious that other forms of apparatus may beused, which willv einbody the features of my invention, and I thereforedo not limit myself to the exact arrangement and construction shown, asthe same may be varied without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Fromthe above description it is clear that after the operator, bymanipulating the handle G, has raised the knives or blades to theposition shown in dotted lines, that the spring J, exerting its tensionagainst said knives or blades, will givetheni a sudden increased impetusor momentum over that which the blades or knives first received by theoperation of the handle, and by reason of this increased impetus ormomentum the time of existence of the are formed between the under sideof the knives or blades and the copper contact pieces is reduced to aminimum.

Having thus ascertained the nature and set forth the construction of myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentof'the United States, is-- 1. In an electric switch, the combinationwith the contact pieces, of one or more blades, a shaft to which saidblades are attached, one or more boxes on said shaft for receiving oneend of each blade, a handle for actuating said shaft, a pin secured tosaid shaft and moving therewith, a spring having a seat for receivingsaid pin and holding said shaft in a fixed position when the blades arein contact with said contact pieces, and means for moving said shaftfrom engagement with said spring as the blades leave the contact piecesto permit said-spring to exert its tension on said shaft and therebygive an increased impetus to said shaft.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with the contact pieces, ofone or more blades, a shaft to which said blades are attached, a handlefor actuating said shaft, a pin secured to said shaft and movingtherewith, a spring having a seat for receiving said pin and holdingsaid shaft in a fixed position when the blades are in contact with saidcontact pieces, and means for moving said shaft from engagement withsaid spring as the blades leave the contact pieces to permit said springto exert its tension on said shaft, and thereby give an increasedimpetus to said shaft.

3. In an electric switch, the combination with the contact pieces, ofone or more blades, a shaft to which said blades are attached, a pinsecured to said shaft and moving therewith, a spring having a seat forreceiving said pin and holding said shaft in a fixed position when theblades are in contact with said contact pieces, and a handle providedwith a sleeve mounted loosely on said shaft and adapted to contact withsaid pin and move the same from engagement with the said spring as theblades leave the contact pieces to permit said spring to exert itstension on said shaft and thereby give an increased impetus to saidshaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 27th day of November,1894;

JOHN O. HEINZE, JR.

Witnesses:

WM. H. PALMER, S. H. TRow.

